


Meet me there

by Port_in_a_Storm



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Boys In Love, Established Relationship, Fluff, Insecure Robert, M/M, Reassuring Aaron, Romance, Tumblr Prompt, jealous robert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-08-07 17:10:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7722877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Port_in_a_Storm/pseuds/Port_in_a_Storm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Ed shows up, Robert can’t help the green eyed monster from rearing its ugly head. However, his issues stretch beyond simple jealousy.</p>
<p>Based on a tumblr prompt</p>
            </blockquote>





	Meet me there

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! This fic was requested by a tumblr anon, who asked for a story about jealous Robert. I hope that this is okay, nonnie! Enjoy, everyone!

Ed had always been a bit of a sore spot where Robert was concerned. He had been the relationship which had lasted the longest, the one that Aaron felt at ease enough with himself to explore his sexual inhibitions, and Aaron had told him that when he was thinking of leaving the village back when Gordon returned, Ed was the one he had called. Robert got a sour taste in his mouth whenever Chas mentioned him (‘Ed was nice, wasn’t he? Such a shame that didn’t work out’), or whenever he came across an old photo on Aaron’s (hardly ever used) FaceBook account, one of those ‘this is what you were doing five years ago’ posts. It made him irrationally angry to think that Aaron was doing Ed five years ago. Robert had a past, after all. And he had been with someone else—a woman no less—when he and Aaron had started an affair. But he couldn’t help feeling jealous whenever Ed was mentioned. 

And so when he saw the man himself in the pub talking to Chas, she grinning back at him, Robert got irrationally jealous.

‘Aaron!’ Chas shouted. She seemed to take extra glee in noticing that Robert was lingering by the bar as well, alternating his glare between her and Ed. ‘Someone here to see you!’

According to Aaron, he and Ed had not left each other on very good terms. But Robert also gathered from Aaron that Ed was not one to hold grudges, and in fact was a really nice man and quick to forgive. Robert had rolled his eyes and wanted to make fun in the most childish way possible, but managed to keep himself in check. The last thing he needed was for Aaron to start a tally of all the pros and cons of him and perfect Ed.

‘What? I was talking to Liv.’ But when he saw Ed, no one could deny the way Aaron’s face lit up. ‘Oh my god! What are you doin’ here?!’ They greeted each other like… Robert hated to say it, but like old lovers. Aaron hugged Ed, and Ed hugged back. Seemed that everything that had gone between them was water under the bridge. Robert scowled. He hated Ed. With a passion that would never die.

‘Just passin’ through on the way to Leeds,’ Ed explained. He smiled at Aaron, showing all of his perfect teeth. ‘Don’t suppose you want to come out to Hotten for the night?’ He looked Aaron—Robert’s _boyfriend_ —up and down. ‘You look really good.’

And that was the last straw. Robert muscled his way to Aaron’s side and threw his arm around his waist. ‘Hey, Baby, thought we said we’d meet for tea.’

Aaron looked annoyed then confused. ‘We never said—mmf!’

Robert kissed him before he could give the game away. He drew back and smiled at Aaron’s glazed over eyes. ‘And who’s your friend?’ He was sure his eyes were glinting with menace, but Ed didn’t back down.

His boyfriend looked at him like he was mad, but said, ‘This is Ed, Ed this is Robert.’

‘Aaron’s boyfriend,’ Robert said, shaking Ed’s hand and gripping harder than he necessarily needed to.

Ed smirked. ‘Yeah, I got that.’ He turned his attention back to Aaron. ‘So? You fancy it tonight? Hotten? A catch-up?’

Robert seethed. ‘Uh—don’t we have that _thing_ tonight, Baby? Reservations, remember?’

‘Well that can be _rearranged_ ,’ Aaron objected, glaring at Robert. ‘Yeah, I’d like that, Ed. Meet you here about 8, yeah?’

‘Yeah. Great. See you later. Nice meeting you, Robert.’

When he left, Aaron gave Robert a last glare before storming off into the back room. Robert followed him and tried to ignore Chas’s gloating face.

‘What the hell was that?’ Aaron raged as soon as the door was closed. 

‘What?’

Aaron gestured wildly to the pub. ‘That fucking caveman routine! Marking your fucking territory! You may as well have just lifted your leg and peed all over me!’

‘Aaron—’

‘I’m not your possession, Robert!’

‘I know that! But I saw the way he was looking at you, the way he spoke to you!’

‘What, because he said I look good?’ He stopped suddenly and then an unkind smile stretched across his lips. ‘Are you jealous?’

‘No.’

‘You are! Oh my god, you’re jealous of Ed!’

‘I just don’t like the way he was… sniffing around you. You’re my boyfriend!’

‘Yeah, I think he knows that after your little display!’

Robert shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. ‘I just didn’t like the way he was looking at you.’

Aaron rolled his eyes. ‘Rob, Ed and I are done. We were done _ages_ ago. Seriously, there’s nothing for you to worry about, alright?’ He nodded until Robert started to nod as well. ‘Okay. Well, I’m gonna shower.’

‘What? Why?’

‘’Cause I’ve been workin’ at the scrapyard all day. Can’t go out like that.’

‘You—you’re going out with him?’

‘He’s a _mate_ , Robert. Would you want me to tell you who you can and can’t see?’

Robert shrugged. ‘I just—don’t let him, y’know, talk you away from me.’

Aaron’s eyes softened and he wound his arms around his boyfriend’s waist. He kissed him gently, before deepening it. ‘I won’t. He won’t. Seriously, water under the bridge, alright?’

Robert looked into Aaron’s eyes, and eventually nodded. ‘Okay.’

Aaron kissed him again. ‘If you don’t trust him, then trust me.’ He smiled at Robert and pat his bum before letting go. ‘I’m gonna shower. Could you make a start on tea?’

****

Aaron had left an hour and a half ago. Robert was in their room, his laptop open on his lap, but he kept looking at his phone every few minutes, alternating between thinking about texting Aaron, and waiting for a message from him (he didn’t know if he was waiting for one that said _’I’m coming home. Ed’s a dick_ ’, or _’I’ve gone to France. See you around, loser’_ ). 

There was a knock on the door. ‘Come in!’ he called

Liv entered the room, looking around. ‘Oh. Chas said Aaron had gone out. Thought you would’ve gone with him.’

Robert shook his head. ‘No. He’s uh—an old mate of his turned up, so he’s gone to town with him.’

Liv nodded knowingly and sat on the edge of the bed. ‘Right. Ed, yeah? Aaron’s ex?’

‘How’d you know that?’

‘Chas told me,’ she said, rolling her eyes. ‘Couldn’t wait for me to get through the door to tell me, actually!’

‘Yeah, that sounds about right.’

‘So, what’s he like? This Ed guy?’

‘Good looking,’ Robert said bitterly. ‘Plays rugby. Likes Aaron.’ He snorted and shook his head. ‘Should’ve seen the way he was looking at Aaron.’

‘Uh-oh.’

‘What?’ Robert panicked. ‘What, you think that Aaron’s gonna run off with him?’ He started to hyperventilate thinking about it, Ed and Aaron getting a plane back to France; Aaron telling Ed what a loser Robert was. He was about to pick up his phone to call him when Liv hit him on the back of the head. 

‘No! Uh-oh, ‘cause did Aaron hear you being a jealous idiot?’

‘No!’ Liv gave him a look, which was a combination of both Aaron and, somehow, Vic. It must be a younger sister thing. ‘Okay, yeah, I may have got a bit jealous,’ he relented. ‘But you should have heard the way he was talking to Aaron! “Oh, you look so good!”’ 

‘And was Aaron talkin’ to him the same way? Did he look even remotely interested?’

‘Well, no, but—’

‘But nothin’! I told you, didn’t I, that Aaron has been going on for _ages_ about how much he loves you.’ She nudged him playfully. ‘Still can’t figure out why. But you need to trust him, don’t you?’

‘I do trust him,’ Robert said immediately. And he did.

‘So what’s the problem?’

Liv didn’t understand; _couldn’t_ understand Robert’s issues. So he shook his head and said, ‘Nothing.’ It was enough to get her to smile and leave him alone.

Three hours later, with still no word from Aaron, Robert closed his laptop and went to sleep.

****

The bed was warm, the body next to him hot and welcome. Robert snuggled into Aaron’s back, before his eyes flew open, remembering last night and realising that Aaron was home; he was in bed with him. He breathed a sigh of relief.

‘So much for trusting me,’ Aaron said sleepily. 

Robert froze. He propped himself up on his right elbow and peered over Aaron’s body to see his face. ‘What?’

‘You think I didn’t hear that little sigh of relief?’ Aaron turned onto his back. His face was like thunder. ‘Thought you said you trusted me?’

‘I do.’

‘So, what, you think that ‘cause my ex pops up, asks if I want to go out, and says I look good then what, I’m gonna jump into bed with him?’

‘No. Course not. Aaron, I _do_ trust you.’

He snorted. ‘Yeah. Feels like it.’

Robert picked at the sheets, and Aaron looked away. ‘Well, he’s a bit of a catch, isn’t he?’ Robert eventually said quietly.

‘Hm? Who, Ed?’ Aaron shrugged. His arms were folded across his bare chest. Defensive, Robert thought. ‘He’s alright, I suppose. Good looking, I guess. Nice bloke.’ Robert’s face dropped. Then Aaron nudged his foot with his own. ‘Not you though, is he?’

Surprised, Robert looked up and saw Aaron’s sincere face. ‘What?’

‘I said that he’s not you.’ He unfolded his arms and pushed Robert back onto the mattress and leaned over him. ‘You idiot.’

Robert pulled his face down, intending to kiss him, but Aaron resisted. ‘Ah-ah. First, tell me why you didn’t trust me.’

‘I did trust you,’ Robert insisted. Aaron pushed lightly on his chest. _Come on_ , the push seemed to say. ‘I do, Baby. Of course I do. You’re a better person than me. Not that I would ever cheat on you. With anyone. _Ever_. But,’ he closed his eyes for a moment, then looked away, not able to talk to his boyfriend about this whilst those beautiful blue eyes were on him. ‘It’s because you’re a better person than me that I worry,’ he said quietly. ‘Aaron, you can do so much better than me. Everyone thinks so. I guess I’m just waiting for the moment that you realise that for yourself and want to leave me.’

‘Seriously?’ Aaron straddled Robert properly and put his hands either side of Robert’s head, as good as forcing his boyfriend to meet his eyes. ‘I’m not gonna say this anymore than once ‘cause, well, to be honest, your ego is bad enough. Robert, you are the best I’m ever gonna have. The only one I want. Ed’s nice, and he’s… life with him would be easy. But I don’t want that. And I don’t want him. Not anymore. Not for ages.’ He kissed Robert deeply, both of them getting lost in it. When they parted, Aaron smiled and nudged their noses together. ‘He did try it on last night,’ he confessed. Robert’s eyes widened and his breath quickened, already in a panic. Aaron put a soothing hand on Robert’s bicep. ‘I wasn’t too drunk, and neither was he, but he started to tell me how different I seem now. How settled. And then he tried to kiss me. I pushed him back right away, Robert. Nothing, _nothing_ is better than you.’ He rolled his eyes at Robert’s smug grin.

‘Did he feel awful, that you pushed him away?’

‘He felt awful that he tried it on,’ Aaron said. ‘I told him how much you mean to me, and he felt really bad. He’s a friend now, Robert. Nothing else.’ He kissed Robert again. ‘I love you. You’re all I want.’

Robert felt his eyes glaze over at Aaron’s words. It wasn’t often that his boyfriend told him he loved him, so when he did, Robert knew that he really meant it. ‘I love you, too,’ he breathed. ‘And I’ll try not to get jealous again.’

Aaron grinned. ‘Well, I don’t mind it really. Nice to see you being the one to get jealous every once in a while. I felt it for over half a year, after all.’ He rolled his hips against Robert’s to take away any sting that the mention of their lives during the affair could have carried. ‘You mean so much to me, Robert. I don’t say it, and maybe I should, but I always thought that you knew.’

‘I do,’ Robert said. ‘Well, I do now. My little freak out was more to do with me than it was you,’ he said. ‘I just don’t want to lose you, Aaron.’

‘You won’t. Idiot.’ 

They chuckled and Robert pulled Aaron down for a kiss, and Aaron let him. He allowed himself to believe that he really _was_ all Aaron needed. With Aaron’s body above him, kisses being pressed into Robert’s willing mouth, surrounded by his warmth, and his words of love still making his head spin, Robert found that it wasn’t that difficult to believe.

**Author's Note:**

> Come have a nosy on tumblr!: [Port in a Storm](http://www.portinastorm.tumblr.com)
> 
> Title is a song by Nick Mulvey. The lyrics to 'Meet me there' are rather poignant for this subject, I felt.


End file.
